Graham Upton

Who is Graham Upton?

Graham Upton has been Chair of the Board of Experience Oxfordshire since July, 2013.

Born in Birmingham, he moved to, and was educated in, Australia, where he taught in secondary and special schools before moving back to the UK in 1972. He worked in the University of Wales and Leeds Polytechnic before moving to the University of Birmingham where he was Pro-vice-chancellor and Professor of Special Educational Needs and Educational Psychology.

In September 1997, he accepted the post of Vice-Chancellor at Oxford Brookes University, until he retired in August 2007 when he was succeeded by Professor Janet Beer.

From 21 May 2010 until July 2011, Professor Upton was the interim acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cumbria.

In June 2013, he was appointed High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, having been Undersheriff the year before. He is married to Bebe Speed, an ex-director of West Midlands Institute of Psychotherapy. They have four children and five grandchildren.